The Life of Pi Reflection: An Unlikely Connection with the Tao Te Ching

The novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel tells the story of Piscine Molitor Patel, a young man who

survives a shipwreck and is left stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger

named Richard Parker. The novel explores themes of faith, survival, and the human condition.

In the last quarter, we studied the Tao Te Ching, a Chinese philosophical text that emphasizes the

concept of the Tao, or "the way," as a guiding principle in life. The Tao is described as the

natural order of the universe, and the goal of those who follow the Tao is to align themselves

with this natural order and live in harmony with it.

One way in which Life of Pi connects to the Tao Te Ching is through the theme of finding

meaning in difficult circumstances. Pi is faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges as he

tries to survive on the lifeboat, and yet he is able to find purpose and meaning in his struggle.

This is reminiscent of the idea in the Tao Te Ching that true strength comes from being able to

adapt to and embrace change, rather than trying to resist it. Another connection between the

novel and the Tao Te Ching is the idea of balance and harmony. In Life of Pi, Pi is forced to find

a way to coexist with the tiger, Richard Parker, in a confined space. In order to survive, he must

find a way to maintain a balance between his own needs and those of the tiger. This can be seen

as a metaphor for the idea in the Tao Te Ching that living in harmony with the natural order of

the universe requires a balance between opposing forces.

Moreover, consider Pi’s philosophical inclinations. Pi grows up in Pondicherry, India, but

the story is told from his adult perspective, as a man living in Canada. Pi enjoys studying sloths

because they remind him of God, and he hints at his interests in the intersection of science and

philosophy, mentioning his theses in zoology and religious studies. He starts his tale with a

description of a hospital visit in Mexico, where he was treated very well. The Mexico story
builds up much suspense, because Pi does not tell the story chronologically, from his beginnings

in India. Pi’s philosophical inclinations are clear from the beginning of his story. Pi reflects on

the story of his name, Piscine Molitor. He was named after a famous swimming pool in Paris. Pi

himself started to enjoy swimming at a young age, for he liked the “meditative” and steady

nature of the activity. His sense of inner calm reflects from his telling of the anecdote. Pi also

describes how he came to choose his nickname “Pi.” Frustrated by other students calling him

“pissing,” he stood up on the first day of one school year, writing the symbol “pi” on the board,

saying that that was what he wanted to be called. This incident foreshadows his inclination

towards the irrational, towards philosophy.

Overall, Life of Pi and the Tao Te Ching both explore the theme of finding meaning and

purpose in the face of adversity. Both texts encourage readers to embrace change and seek

balance and harmony in their lives, rather than trying to fight against the natural order of things.